When a bridge between Copenhagen and Malmio was opened in 2000, it was called a "symbol of Scandinavian unity", which gradually blur the borders between countries. But now the Northern European states can face new problems, as the crime wave that spreads south through the Oresun Strait is becoming increasingly concerned. This was reported by British journalists on the influential edition of The Times.
Swedish authorities are criticized for its problems with banditry to influence neighboring countries. Over the past four months, at least 25 young people from Malmio and Stockholm, suspected of ordering and explosions, have been arrested in Denmark.
Denmark has already introduced control of the border with Sweden, in particular, focusing on the Oresun bridge, and the Norway government also reported an increase in the activity of Swedish gangs in Norway. Denmark Minister Peter Hummelgord said Sweden's neighbors were suffering from "consequences of failure immigration and criminal justice policy" in Sweden, and his Norwegian colleague, Ms. Emily Enger Mel, expressed similar views in diplomatic form.
Criminologist from Helsinki University Marcus Kaakinen indicates that the Swedish gangs of drug dealers are expanding their business by opening new outlets in Norway and Finland, as well as moving their activities to "transit" countries such as Estonia, Germany, Denmark and Spain. An important aspect is that the Swedish gangs began to recruit young people through social networks to commit acts of violence in Denmark. In particular, these teenagers, often from Arab, Afghan and Kurdish origin, are hired as situational delivery service drivers.
According to Kaakinen, recruiters use encrypted reports for the exchange of messages, such as Telegram, and pay them from $ 40,000 to $ 110,000 for one order. About $ 10,000 is paid for hand grenades or homemade explosive devices.
In Sweden, about 85% of members of street gangs and 94% of members of organized criminal syndicate are of foreign origin. This context creates additional challenges for law enforcement agencies in the fight against organized crime.
The Danish authorities take measures to combat these problems, including joint police operations with Sweden and the use of software to recognize persons on the basis of artificial intelligence. Denmark's Justice Minister has expressed a desire to ban some social networks such as Telegram and Tiktok to combat criminals.
However, criminologists warn that the problem in the long run requires a comprehensive approach that takes into account the prevention of crimes and improve social conditions. It is still unknown whether Sweden's problems can spread to other European countries, but this issue remains relevant against the background of recent events such as the murder of businessmen in Malmio.
Experts doubt that Swedish gangs will be a serious problem for the United Kingdom or Germany, but if the situation is not controlled, they may be an example of imitation in different countries in Europe.
